A Blueprint for the Destruction of the Underground Catholic Church in China
Translated and released by the Cardinal Mung Foundation in Stamfort, Connecticut, USA, this document of the Chinese Communist Party, dated Nov. 20, 1996, is addressed to a township in Jiangxi Province. It includes description of a national plan under the heading: "The Procedures to Legally Implement the Eradication of Illegal Activities of the Underground Catholic Church" to systematically target laity and clergy who have defied the regime in professing loyalty to the Pope and the Vatican. The first phase of the strategy, scheduled to be put in place by March 31, 1997, includes a public relations campaign in support of the government policy and the registration of all local and transient Catholics, while all members of the "underground" Church will be forced to write a letter of apostasy and join the governmentapproved Catholic Patriotic Association. Underground Church leaders will be asked to develop a "theology" that respects government authority over Church affairs. Teachers "performing illegal religious studies," the document directs, will be dismissed, while students are not allowed to have any "religious goods" in their possession. The plan also called for a crackdown on "largescale illegal assembly activities" on Christmas Day 1996, instructing officials to blockade the exits of villages. The master plan's consolidation stage (April 1June 30, 1997) will make the "struggle" of putting a halt to the "illegal Catholic activities a longterm political objective" in order to ensure that "the illegal underground Catholic influence and the illegal assemblies are eradicated."
For The County Committee of Chongren Xian in the Fuzhou District (of |Jiangxi Province) Referencing The Dispatch of "The Procedures Legally to Implement the Eradication of Illegal Activities/Operations of the Underground Catholic Church"
To The Donglai Township Leadership for Legally Eradicating the Illegal Activities of the Underground Catholic Church
The Objective of the Notice:
1) The Religious Administration;
2) "Struggle" on Eradication of the Illegal Activities, (Underground Catholic Church) and
3) Implementation Procedures
Copy To:
The County Committee of the Communist Party
The County Political & Judicial Committee of the Communist Party
November 20, 1996
80 Copies Made (in China)
To: All units of the village branch of the Party, and All units directly under the Township Authority:
In accordance with the approved study, attached herewith for your use is Donglai's "Procedure to Legally Implement the Eradication of Illegal Activities of the Underground Catholic Church." Please be practical, thorough, and serious in your implementation.
In recent years, the population of religious believers in our villages has increased due to the intensified infiltration of overseas religious enemy and opposition forces, and due to the influence of the illegal activities of the underground religious force in our country. Some have used religion to commit criminal activities, seriously disturbing the social order and affecting political stability Therefore, every unit in this entire township must be highly vigilant in and politically attuned to the gravity and danger of the overall situation. You must strengthen the leadership, and, with resolute, decisive and organized measures, to legally develop this special "struggle" in order to eradicate the illegal activities of the underground Catholic Church.
Eradicating the illegal activities of the underground Catholic Church is a decisive and critical political work. In developing this special "struggle," we will proceed according to [he facts, abide by the law, recognize two different types of contradictions (Note: The two different contradictions are 1) contradiction among people and 2) contradiction between enemy and defender Mao's Thought), be vigilant of the enemy's power and of public instigation by religious believers, assure smooth development of "Eradicating Illegal Activities" work, and achieve the projected objectives. Any important and sensitive issues, as well as the progress of all units' assignment must be reported promptly for directives.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OF THE UNDERGROUND CATHOLIC CHURCH
In order to truly unify the thorough enforcement of the Party's religious policy, to strengthen the administration of religious affairs in the township, to standardize the conduct of religious activities, and to reflect closely the circumstances of this town, effective immediately, we have decided to employ a united action to destroy the organization of the underground Catholic Church in Shanbei, Leifang, and Donglai, and to stop its illegal assembly activities. The following operation procedures are proposed:
In the spirit of the 6th meeting of the 14th Party Conference, and in order to mobilize the vast number of people including religious believers, we learn from the document: "Decision of the Central Communist Party on Certain Important Resolutions Relating to the Strengthening of the Spirit of Socialism to Establish Civilization."
For promotion of social stability and for successful eradication of the illegal religious activities by law, we must:
1. Raise the banners: "Protect the Dignity of the Law," and "Self Administer an Independent and Autonomous Church,"
2. Achieve the objectives: "Protect the Legal (Official Patriotic Association), Stop the Illegal (Unofficial underground Roman Catholic Church), Strike the Illegal, and Resist the Infiltration,"
3. Use the strategy of "Conversion Through ReEducation, Disintegration, Unification of the Majority and Attacking the Individuals," and
4. Proceed steadily and proactively with meticulous planning, and decisive attitude to avoid major problems.
Destroy the organization of the Catholic underground forces in the township. Cut off foreign contacts with local illegal elements. Destroy the Church's illegal assembly place. Thoroughly clear all religious propaganda posters. Strengthen the establishment of spiritual civilization and grassroots organization. (illegible text) Coordinate all security implementations.
Three stages are necessary to achieve the above objectives.
1. Planning Stage: (November 20 to 25, 1996)
a. Establish a strong organization for each rank. All personnel should report to duty and start working.
b. Carefully plan a highly secured procedure for overall implementation in this township.
c. Combine the township's workforce to organize six teams of "spiritual civilization propaganda force" to be stationed and put to work in those villages where the underground Catholic Church has the most influence.
d. Define propaganda policy and customize the propaganda campaign to target different groups of underground believers: religious, core elements, and general public believers. Utilizing the authority of the government, print announcements of prohibition. Adopt a unified propaganda approach and prepare its materials. e. Be mentally and materially prepared to handle any unexpected incidents. Promptly report any such incidents to your supervisor.
2. Implementation Stage (November 25, 1996 March 31, 1997):
a. Before November 25, 1996
All village "Spiritual Civilization Promotion Teams" must be stationed in the villages where the underground Catholic church believers live. The primary objective of the team is to develop an education propaganda offensive by utilizing radio broadcast to propagate the "Decision of the Central Communist Party on Certain Important Resolutions Relating to the Strengthening of the Spirit of Socialism to Establish Civilization."
We must propagate the Party's religious policy and the code of law in addition to patriotism.
1. Laying the Foundation:
In order to accomplish conversion through education, the team members should 1) eat, live, and labor together with the people; 2) perform good public relations act by visiting every family; and 3) sincerely offer them solutions to their practical production problems.
The above steps will reeducate the attitude (of the Catholics) to work for us (our favor).
2. Investigation:
In order to insure that this campaign of eradicating illegal religious activities is fully implemented, 1) Thoroughly understand all basic characteristics of the vast group of religious believers. In cooperation with the local police department, develop a complete headcount of both local and transient populations. Register and set up a file for each one of them. 2) Investigate and clearly understand the background of those outoftown Catholics visiting the villages. 3) Fully and legally utilize the grassroots organization of the Party as the center of operations for this campaign by: a) strengthening the establishment of the leadership class for those villages most populated by religious believers; and b) performing a thorough evaluation of the Party's village branch. Make any adjustment or reinforcement to insure that the branch can serve as the fortress of this campaign.
b. Before November 30, 1996
1. Thoroughly investigate and understand the underground Catholic religious, the core members of the underground force, the number of Catholics and the basic circumstances of the illegal activities.
2. Investigate each one of the following groups, understand its activity schedules, overseas connections, the degree of its stubbornness, the traits that could be taken advantage of, and its psychological characteristics: a) Underground Catholic religious, b) Catholic believers in the Communist Party, Communist youth league, government cadre, militia, staff and their families, and c) The people responsible for illegal activities.
c. Develop different class levels
Each team must strengthen the target of education. Tailor the classes to the varying needs of the public audience.
1. The first objective is for the Party. Its objective is to use the constitution of the Party to unify the thoughts of the member of the Party so that they could develop the influence as a model to stop the underground Catholic illegal activities.
2. The second objective is to create a reserve force of zealous young people for the Parry's undertaking. This class is to help them: a) to cultivate the life and world outlook of the proletarian thoughts; b) to be aware of the capacity of different ideas which could have infiltrated them from the nonproletarian people; and c) to be capable of resisting these ideas.
3. The third objective is to induce underground Catholic religious and its core members to carry on their religious activities normally and legally by making them aware of those activities which are in line with "theology," those which are unreasonable and illegal. This class is to indoctrinate them about the policies and objectives of the Party, and the law of the nation.
d. Make a big effort to disintegrate the underground religious influence
Underground religious activities are illegal and dangerous. This should be explained clearly in the class. The policy of the government is to protect and support the autonomous Church. Only through the autonomous Church will there be hope.
Break up the underground religious influence by: a) uniting the majority through education; b) isolating and attacking the extremist; c) developing overall education; d) organizing specialists; and e) using any other conceivable means.
With the exception of the few stubborn and core members (of the underground Catholic Church) who must be prosecuted according to law, the remainder will be indoctrinated by education. Persistent effort should be applied to convince the believers to obey the government and no longer to join illegal religious activities. Settle those who join legal religious activities and provide them with a suitable assembly place.
Using the principle of uniting the majority and isolating the extremist, prompt the workers to take care of each person (underground Catholic), forcing him (the underground Catholic) to write a statement of repentance (apostasy letter), to recognize the policy of independence and autonomy (of the Church), and to join the legal religious activities (the Patriotic Association).
e. Thoroughly and legally eliminate the assembly locations for illegal activities by the following means:
a) public relations; b) reliance on Party's grassroots organization; c) harvesting the power of the public (opinion); and d) adopting the procedure of settling the religious issue as nonreligious.
Seal those places used for comparatively less serious illegal activities, and, through the workers, register them so that they could practice legal religious activities, and be brought into normal administration. In the mean time, if any underground seminary is discovered, it must be categorically eliminated.
f. Firmly eliminate large scale illegal assemble activities such as on (the Christmas day) 'December 25.'
a) Control underground religious and core members" illegal activities. b) All religious believers in the village must be wellprepared for the task of interception. Firmly warn religious believers not to leave the village. c) The procedure must be prepared early, and the propaganda must be completed early. Licenses or permits for vehicles and equipment used for religious activity are not only to be confiscated, but also their users be fined. In the meantime, be prepared to handle any sudden unexpected incidents.
g. Infiltrate schools
Must have a very strict policy. Adjust and strengthen the power of teachers in the religious believers' village. a) Those teachers performing illegal religious activities must be punished, or even dismissed. b) Do not allow any missionary activities in the school. c) Do not allow the study, observation, or visits of any form of religious activities. d) Do not allow students to carry any religious goods and propaganda materials.
Disobedience must be punished most severely. Stop firmly the use of religion to interfere with this directive and with other policies such as birth control. Take care of these issues on a case by case basis.
Through implementation of the above procedures, the objective of destroying the organization of underground Catholics and their assembly places must be achieved. Breaking up the underground Catholic influence, preventing the underground Catholics from participating in large scale assemblies on Shitangshan, cutting off the relationship between the criminal elements and overseas enemy force are steps to normalizing legalized religious activity.
3. Consolidation Stage (April 1, 1997 June 30, 1997)
In order to consolidate the hardwon results and to prevent the repetition of the illegal activities, we must make the struggle of stopping the illegal Catholic activities a long term political objective. After this unified and concentrated action, we must take advantage of these three months to consolidate the result, to insist on additional work on this project, and to insure that the illegal underground Catholic influence and the illegal assemblies in our township are eradicated. Each village must also strengthen its systems and regulations.
Establish "Donglai Leadership Team to Stop the Underground Catholic Church Illegal Activities According to the Law."
Officer in Charge: Yang Shusen. Vice Officer in Charge: Chen Zemin. Team workers: Li Xianchang, Xong Xiaoqiu, Huang Lusun, Xiao Jingxing, Chen Guimin, Lu Yaomin, Huang Rongshun, Sun Guangrong, Zhou Kaiwu, Huang Xinmin. Office Manager: Huang Xinming.
1. Having a good grasp of policies, being particular about tactics, and strictly managing affairs according to the laws, the leaders of various levels must carry out the assignment of "stopping illegal activities" as an important "Engineering Task" by strengthening the spiritual buildup in order to manage and to put society in order. They must be firm and proactive in the strategy; active and steady in tactics. Political matters should be treated as nonpolitical ones while the problems of religious character should be so solved as nonreligious ones. Do not agitate the already conflicting situation; thereby irritating the restless factors and causing very serious social disturbances as the result of erroneous problem management.
2. Discipline must be observed, and commands must be obeyed. Decisions made by the leadership group of the county and township government must be carried out firmly. Mistakes caused by negligence must be investigated and dealt with seriously. Reporting and feedback systems must be strictly enforced. Each week, the working unit is to report to the township leadership group about its work in progress. In the meantime, confidentiality is to be strictly observed. Do not disclose the undisclosable. Those who negatively impact the overall strategy as the result of compromised secrets will have to be dismissed, or, if the situation is serious, criminally prosecuted according to the law.
3. In order to accomplish this difficult and glorified assignment from the county committee of the communist party and the county government, responsibility oriented systems must be put in place and enforced. Each village committee and unit should clearly understand its assignment in conformity with local practice. One must clearly understand and be responsible for one's own obligation. Serious unfavorable consequences arising from disobedience, irresponsibility, and resulting in the undermining of the strategically planned objective must be conclusively investigated. All village committees and township units must work and support each other by coordinating all initiatives.
'ERADICATING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES' IN DONGLAI TOWNSHIP
1. All religious activities must only be conducted within the scope of the national constitution, laws, regulations and policies!
2. Actively expand the special struggle of eradicating illegal religious activities in accordance with the laws!
3. Firmly attack and eradicate the unlawful and criminal activities committed through religion!
4. Firmly attack and eradicate illegal missionary activities and unlawful assemblies!
5. Do not offer sites, supplies for illegal religious activities! Offenders will be punished severely!
6. Outoftown religious visitors are not to be allowed! Offenders will be punished severely!
7. Protect the lawful, stop the unlawful, and attack the illegal offenders!
8. Gatherings are not permitted on Yujiashan, Shitangshan and Zen's House. Offenders will be punished severely!
9. Conducting religious activities are not allowed at the sites forbidden by the government. Offenders will be punished severely!
10. Firmly eradicate all illegal religious activity sites!
Shanbei Village Committee
Group Leader -- Li Xian Chang
Group Assistant Leader -- Xiao Jing Xing
Members -- Chen Zhengsun, Zhou Xiaogiu, Li Yonggen
Leifang Village Committee
Group Leader -- Xong Xiaoqiu
Group Assistant Leader -- Chen Guimin
Members -- Le Guixiu, Zheng Xiaoping, Sun Guangrong
Donglai Village Committee
Group Leader -- Huang Lusun
Group Assistant Leader -- Chen Zeming
Members -- Luo Chunfa, Deng Dongyu, Zeng Yonggao
Tangren Village Committee
Group Leader -- Huang Rongshun
Members -- Shuiming
Chenjia Village Committee
Group Leader -- Lu Yaoming
Members -- Yuan Youxing
Caochang Village Committee
Group Leader -- Zhou Kaiwu
Members -- Dai Xinsheng
1. The committee of the Communist Party and the government of the township summons a council meeting to strategize the "Eradicating the Illegal Activities" initiative and to set up definitive procedures.
2. The government of the township convenes a meeting of all the township Party cadres.
3. The village committee convene meetings of the Party Branch Committee, Party members, and all the villagers.
4. The village committees set up special subgroups.
5. The units and committees of all villages produce banner sized slogans (2 to 3 slogans per village unit).
1. Research and count the exact population of religion believers.
2. Locate the key village committees (30 or more Catholic families in the village) and the key families (2 or more Catholics in the family).
3. Clearly ascertain the locales of religious activities, i.e. the religious gathering sites.
4. Fully investigate the background and illegal activities of the underground Catholic clergy population as well as key and active Catholics.
1. Prepare the propaganda literature and "the three courses," i.e., the policy on religion, laws and regulations, and buildup of spiritual civilization.
2. Establish the learning classes for Catholics.
3. Convene mass meetings. Educate them in accordance with their (required) standards.
4. Establish township regulations and civil disciplines.
5. Account for the responsibility between the village subgroups and the village committee.
6. Complete and sign an accountability system for mutual support between village committee and village subgroups.
7. Strengthen the establishment of grassroots Party branch committee and the government.
1. Blockade the exits. Guarantee that no one leaves the village and township on December 25.
2. Forbid outoftown Catholics from entering the township.
3. Tighten the surveillance and control of the area.
4. Clamp down and seal the sites of illegal religious activities.
5. Strictly forbid unlawful gatherings and activities in schools.
1. Consolidate the achievement of "Stopping Illegal Activities," undertake and implement the special struggle of lawfully eradicating illegal religious activities as a longterm political project.
2. Strengthen the regime's infrastructure. Establish a permanent religious surveillance group.
3. Meticulously execute the phases of consolidations and reexaminations.
Text translated and provided by the Cardinal Kung Foundation, Stamford, Connecticut, U.SA. Title and subtitle by Catholic International. Text in parentheses by translator.
This item 112 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
